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by Drew Ruiz / @drewruiz90
With the holiday season in full swing, Los Angeles Clippers Guard Jamal Crawford hosted his annual ‘Jamal Claus’ Toy Giveaway this past Friday in Los Angeles. Crawford, who has been in partnership with World Vision—a Christian humanitarian organization that dedicates to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice—hosted the giveaway at the Barack Obama Charter School in Compton, CA.
“They [the kids] may not have an opportunity to have the best Christmas, so we try to make their dreams come true,” Crawford told SLAM. “A lot of kids see people on TV and that’s the only place they see them. It makes it more real if you’re interacting with them—even if it’s for a short amount of time—they believe their dreams can become a reality. I remember being one of those kids, so I know how important it feels to give back and interact with them. I remember being around pro athletes as a kid; some were cool, some were not so cool. So I said if I was ever in that position, I know how I’d want to be.”
The Clippers had the day off, but Crawford still managed to contribute to a team—one of nearly 350, who were about 2-3 feet shorter than his Lob City teammates. Jamal Claus handed out 500 toys, including food kits for the children and their families, held a raffle, and also signed autographs.
World Vision Supply Chain Manager Reed Slattery says Crawford hosts backpack events every summer in his hometown of Seattle, Washington, and JCrossover also brought a similar event to Barack Obama Charter back in August.
